
RussellEbertHandball
Flick pass expert
Political journalist/economist George Megalogenis wrote 2 political books last decade, after doing a lot of digging into history and data in particular for both books.
In 2012 he wrote The Australian Moment looking at politics and the big economic reforms basically starting with Whitlam government's overnight in 1973 slashing tariffs by 25%, opening up Oz to more global competition, and to Rudd's and Gillard's handling of the GFC.
In 2015 he wrote Australia's Second Chance about how Australian history and economic progress went in 50 year cycles of struggle (1788 to 1830's) then boom (1830's to 1888 gold rush and immigration) then struggle again (1890's recession, WWI, great depression and WW II) then a 50 year boom / bust cycle between end of WWII and early 1990's and argues that we are in a 50 year boom cycle having ridden out the GFC unlike other major economies who got hit hard by it, and high young aged immigration and attracting some of the world's brightest, driving grow.
In his 2012 book he looked at events since the 1970s and he said the boom/bust forged institutional and political leadership and a canny populace. He examined how we developed from a closed economy racked by the oil shocks, toughed it out during the sometimes devastating growing pains of deregulation, and survived the Asian financial crisis, the dotcom tech wreck and the GFC to become the last developed nation standing in the 2000s. As a result, whatever happens next, we're as well positioned as any to survive the ongoing rumblings of the GFC.
I remember when he was discussing the 2012 book on Richard Fydler's Conversation program he compared the first 12 years of the 21st century to first 15 of the 20th century. No Australian government between 1901-1915 won back to back elections and several times the government lost confidence in the House of Representatives and governments change. In those first 14 years, there were 11 different administrations and it took WWI and a national government for stability to set in.
Megalogenis on Fydler's show in 2012 said we might have to flip a few governments before we have long term political stability, given the rapid change in the economy and pace of life after only have 3 administrations between 1983 and 2007.
When he came back in 2015 to discuss his 2nd book, the country had its 4th administrations between 2008 and 2015.
Most of the flipping has occurred by politicians infighting than by the populace.
Watching tonight's Nemesis and last week's, I wonder with so much polarisation in politics and society, how many more governments will be flipped in the next 5 to 10 years. We are now into our 7th different administration since November 2007 and who knows if we will or wont get our 8th by early/mid 2025.
In 2012 he wrote The Australian Moment looking at politics and the big economic reforms basically starting with Whitlam government's overnight in 1973 slashing tariffs by 25%, opening up Oz to more global competition, and to Rudd's and Gillard's handling of the GFC.
In 2015 he wrote Australia's Second Chance about how Australian history and economic progress went in 50 year cycles of struggle (1788 to 1830's) then boom (1830's to 1888 gold rush and immigration) then struggle again (1890's recession, WWI, great depression and WW II) then a 50 year boom / bust cycle between end of WWII and early 1990's and argues that we are in a 50 year boom cycle having ridden out the GFC unlike other major economies who got hit hard by it, and high young aged immigration and attracting some of the world's brightest, driving grow.
In his 2012 book he looked at events since the 1970s and he said the boom/bust forged institutional and political leadership and a canny populace. He examined how we developed from a closed economy racked by the oil shocks, toughed it out during the sometimes devastating growing pains of deregulation, and survived the Asian financial crisis, the dotcom tech wreck and the GFC to become the last developed nation standing in the 2000s. As a result, whatever happens next, we're as well positioned as any to survive the ongoing rumblings of the GFC.
I remember when he was discussing the 2012 book on Richard Fydler's Conversation program he compared the first 12 years of the 21st century to first 15 of the 20th century. No Australian government between 1901-1915 won back to back elections and several times the government lost confidence in the House of Representatives and governments change. In those first 14 years, there were 11 different administrations and it took WWI and a national government for stability to set in.
Megalogenis on Fydler's show in 2012 said we might have to flip a few governments before we have long term political stability, given the rapid change in the economy and pace of life after only have 3 administrations between 1983 and 2007.
When he came back in 2015 to discuss his 2nd book, the country had its 4th administrations between 2008 and 2015.
Most of the flipping has occurred by politicians infighting than by the populace.
Watching tonight's Nemesis and last week's, I wonder with so much polarisation in politics and society, how many more governments will be flipped in the next 5 to 10 years. We are now into our 7th different administration since November 2007 and who knows if we will or wont get our 8th by early/mid 2025.
Last edited: